A time for democracy

Democratic urges are manifesting themselves worldwide. In Iraq the voter turnout was way beyond expectations 8212; of the Americans, the wo...

Democratic urges are manifesting themselves worldwide. In Iraq the voter turnout was way beyond expectations 8212; of the Americans, the world community, even of the Iraqis themselves. Saudi Arabia has held its local body elections 8212; the first time in four decades that residents of the kingdom cast ballots for political office 8212; even though women, so visible in the Iraqi polls, were not allowed to vote.

In the Jammu and Kashmir civic polls, the long queues at poorly visible polling stations in the morning fog, in spite of threats, killing and intimidation, belied all expectations. We have yet to comprehend fully what it adds up to in the newly emerging ground reality.

In Nepal, of course, the reverse has happened with the King dismissing the Deuba government and declaring a state of emergency and so far there have been few visible signs of popular resentment. But the story has just begun to unfold. In the past, the Nepalis have fought a successful battle for restoration of multi-party democracy, and it remains to be seen whether the present face-off between the King and the Maoists will be the last flicker of monarchy in the Himalayan kingdom or the King will manoeuvre the situation to rewrite the Constitution and acquire significantly enhanced powers for himself. Recent surveys showed that a majority of Nepalis want democracy, they are not enamoured of the monarchy.

The turnout in Kashmir, 70 per cent in the last phase, tells its own story. Remember, this rush of people came even as some of the elected councillors, terrorised by militants, inserted personal messages in newspapers and regretted having contested elections.

The turnout displays a growing faith in the fairness of the electoral process. The last assembly elections marked the turning point in Kashmir. History may well judge the 2002 conduct of free and fair elections in J038;K as the most important decision of Vajpayee8217;s premiership. And yet, in 2002, people were still sceptical and many had remarked, 8220;What has gone into the box is alright but what comes out is bound to favour the Abdullahs.8221; Well, it favoured neither the Abdullahs nor the BJP, the party in power at the Centre, and there has been no looking back since. This time, Omar Abdullah cried foul before the polls, but his party went on to do well in Srinagar.

How much of a mood change does this election signify and could it have a bearing on the larger problem in Kashmir? Kashmiris in the Valley have made a distinction between their fight for self determination and participation in elections. By voting in civic polls, they elect their representatives and hold them to account for getting uninterrupted power supply, clean drains, schoolteachers, lady doctors and transfor- mers that work.

In the way they came out, the Kashmiris have made it clear that they do not just want to exercise control over their own destiny, they also want access to economic benefits. They want the mobile phones, call centres, licenses, and the spinoffs from trade and commerce. Mehbooba Mufti was giving voice to these aspirations as much as making the point that MNCs should look at the state, when she called for McDonalds to set up shop in the Valley.

Story continues below this ad

In a dictatorship, the spoils of the system are appropriated by the top half per cent. In a democracy it gets shared by a larger number. The process of democratisation itself will give the Kashmiris 8212; as it will anyone else 8212; stakes in the system.

There is another fallout of the Kashmir polls. When people start to look for solutions through elections, the level of violence is bound to go down. The democratic process entails accommodation, collaboration, give and take. It could create a more favourable ground for a solution. It could even make the prospect of autonomy more attractive. The Kashmiris must know that democracy and autonomy would go hand in hand. If elections continue to be free and fair, it will enable them to exercise greater control over their lives. Azadi, on the other hand, is likely to lead to an Islamic state and could mean the end of Kashmiriyat as they have known it.

The democratic process has its own logic, and the militants know this only too well. Free elections are difficult to programme and invariably throw up surprises. Contrary to what the Americans had expected, in Iraq it is not Iyad Allawi8217;s group that seems to be ahead but the alliance put together by the Iran-born cleric Ayatollah Sistani. Though the Shia-Sunni conflict will continue, and there are all the constraints posed by the presence of the Americans, an elected government will have its own dynamics.

In his state of the union address, George Bush struck a note for freedom. But it would be wrong to assume that the large turnout in Iraq sanctions American presence in the country. The Nepalis may not like the abrogation of their civil rights but they would not like Indian intervention to liberate them. While people want democracy, they do not want it at the expense of their sovereignty.